Design Competition to Develop Sustainable Vendor Booths. Beginning with the Holiday Fair and sponsored by Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc.
New York, NY, March 19, 2008 – Grand Central Terminal and the United States Green Building Council New York Chapter along with their event sponsor, Jones Lang LaSalle Americas Inc., today announced the Grand Central Terminal Holiday Fair Design Competition, which will support the renowned gift fair events in the Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall. This unique challenge will incorporate principles of environmental sustainability with principles of retail success through excellence, innovation and social consciousness.
Participants will compete to be one of five finalists to be highlighted in a competition exhibit at Grand Central Terminal. In addition, the finalists will be recognized with prize awards sponsored by Jones, Lang LaSalle Americas and will be invited to submit detailed proposals for the chance to develop permanent green retail booths for the annual fairs.
“We thought it was an ideal time to seek innovative and responsible green retail design for the popular annual gift fairs held here each year,” said Elliot G. Sander, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which, through its Metro-North subsidiary, runs Grand Central Terminal. “This will be an exciting collaborative effort between designers, experts from the USGBC New York, and design and operations leaders at Grand Central that will serve to enhance what has become a seasonal tradition for tourists and New Yorkers alike.”
The competition will be judged by a jury of world-renowned designers and architects including:
• David Rockwell, Founder and CEO, The Rockwell Group
• Anne Pasternak, Executive Director, Creative Time
• Jean Savitsky LEED® AP, Managing Director, Jones Lang LaSalle, Project and Development Services
• Thom Filicia of Thom Filicia Inc. NBC/Bravo's Emmy award winning "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and The Style Network’s show “Dress My Nest.”
• Nancy Marshall, Director of Development for Grand Central Terminal, MTA
• Wendy Fok, LEED® AP, Director of Design & Construction, Grand Central Terminal, Jones Lang LaSalle
• Projjal Dutta, Director of Sustainability Initiatives, MTA
• Wayne D. Ehmann, Chief Architect, Metro-North Railroad
The Holiday and Spring Fair events play host for several weeks to over 70 participating artisan vendors with unique gifts and goods from emerging and established designers including jewelry, clothing, toys, home furnishings, stationery, books, and beauty products. The fairs are produced by Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The objectives of the competition include:
• Reducing the environmental impact in the design of retail environments
• Showcasing the presence, efforts, and initiative of green retail design in the green building movement,
• Raising awareness of exemplary designs of future designers by displaying them at Grand Central Terminal
• Recognizing and awarding green designers and builders for their dedication, creativity, innovation, and commitment to sustainable design
• Combining creative design that incorporates and highlights the historic integrity of Vanderbilt Hall
.
Entrants have the option of submitting a proposal for either or both schemes to retrofit existing or propose a new concept design for the seasonal retail environments. The proposals must account for continued longevity and a minimum 10-year life span. Modularity, flexibility, visual impact for retail success, and reduced environmental impact and waste should be incorporated into the design. Program requirements include:
• Floor plan layout promoting smooth pedestrian traffic and vendor visibility
• Profile to optimize display and merchandise and maintain architectural quality and harmony with the historic integrity of the room
• Components to be structurally secure from impact and gravity and easy to install and deconstruct
• Energy efficient adjustable lighting
• Educational element creatively explaining or displaying the green building elements
• Retail and event identity signage as appropriate
Deadline for submissions is May, 30, 2008. Entries should be submitted on 30” x 40” boards with a maximum of two boards per entry and must include a digital PDF file of the image fit to print at 11” x 17.” Minimum submission must include floor plan, illustration of key elements of sustainable infrastructure and building systems, wall section or detail illustrating special environment features, and photographs and identifications. The five finalists will be announced July 1, 2008. Interested applicants should go to www.GreenCentralTerminal.com
About the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is the largest provider of public transportation services in the United States, supporting the nation's largest regional economy by serving 8.5 million customers a day across a 5,000-square-mile territory. With assets valued at $1 trillion, the MTA and its seven operating agencies – MTA New York City Transit, MTA Bridges & Tunnels, MTA Bus Company, MTA Long Island Rail Road, MTA Metro-North Railroad, MTA Long Island Bus and MTA Capital Construction – facilitate New York City’s lowest-in-the-nation per capita energy consumption. The crown jewel of the MTA’s 736 subway and rail stations is Grand Central Terminal, which the MTA operates under a 280-year lease.
About Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL), the only real estate money management and services firm named to Forbes magazine’s “400 Best Big Companies” for three consecutive years, has approximately 170 offices worldwide and operates in more than 700 cities in over 60 countries. With 2007 revenue of $2.7 billion, the company provides comprehensive integrated real estate and investment management expertise on a local, regional and global level to owner, occupier and investor clients. Jones Lang LaSalle is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 1.2 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle Investment Management, the company’s investment management business, is one of the world’s largest and most diverse real estate money management firms, with approximately $49.7 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit our Web site, www.joneslanglasalle.com.
About USGBC New York
USGBC New York is the local presence of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the premier forum for the nation’s experts on green building and the creators of the LEED rating system (the de facto standard for green building in North America). USGBC New York combines USGBC’s credibility and unparalleled expertise with a comprehensive understanding of New York’s building marketplace. USGBC New York’s mission is to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. For further information, please visit our website at www.usgbcny.org
For Press inquiries:
Contact: Dan Klores Communications
Adam Miller
212-981-5239
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